Dreams of our Mothers

We are privileged that our customers share their hair stories with us. A simple email exchange or hair consult often evolves into a highly personal account touching on identity, self-worth, and acceptance. A common theme in the stories we hear is the link between mothers and daughters. How mom feels about her own hair plays a pivotal role in how daughters feel about their texture. Whether the hair types are similar or totally different, the influence is still there.

This Mother’s Day, we’re thinking a lot about ‘hairitage’ and the connections that shape us as both mothers and daughters. Original Moxie Founder, Rachel, share’s her experience:

Rachel and Mom – Early 70’s.

“Curly hair runs in my family on my Mother’s side. Though both my Grandmother and Great Grandfather easily embraced their rather unique texture, curly hair became less fashionable during my mother’s generation in the 1950’s and 60’s. My Grandma accepted her curls but didn’t do much with them other than wearing a short, sculpted shape and brushing it out. There certainly wasn’t any special knowledge or knack that got passed on to my mother. After a brief heyday for afros in the 1970’s, my mom relaxed and straightened her hair through through most of my childhood. Having never learned what products or techniques to use to maintain her curls, she did what she felt she had to to keep it looking nice.

Rachel Age 6 After Cutting Her ‘Bangs’.

Despite my mother’s moral support and love, I took an early dislike to my own curls starting around the age of 5 or 6. Unlike my mother and grandmother, I did not accept my hair and, in fact, grew to despise it as a mark of everything that was wrong with me as a human being. If only I had straight, smooth hair! I would be pretty, boys would like me, and I would fit in. That’s how it seemed to my childhood, and later teen, brain. My campaign of ‘self-improvement’ began with chopping off my hair to create ‘bangs’ that went to the middle of my head and continued through my twenties when I would religiously relax, flat-iron, and dye my hair to make it something – anything! – other than what it was.

Rachel’s Daughter – Age 6 after giving herself a trim.

Fast forward to my early forties, when I had finally embraced my texture and even gone on to create a business around it. All my pride came crashing down when my adopted daughter gave herself the same cut at the same age! Like me, she too really hated her hair and wanted it to ‘hang down’. Unlike me, her early hair life was all about weave, braids, and beads. In her foster home, your hair wasn’t done if it was worn out or curly. She was already showing signs of traction alopecia around her hairline by the age of 4. With the best of intentions, I quickly transitioned her to curly-only looks, not wanting to accept that she did not see herself as beautiful in her natural state. Her impromptu haircut was a low point in that journey (though I soon heard from other mothers that there’s just something about that age with scissors and hair!). I despaired that she would, like me, be in her thirties before she fully accepted her natural texture.

To my surprise, in 2nd Grade, she finally became proud of her hair and now boasts of how many people want to touch it because it looks so cool. What turned the tide? I couldn’t tell you. Hopefully, all my determined de-programming and curl love paid off. I think it was also acceptance on the part of her peers and open verbal appreciation by other adult role models.

My take-away from the experience is that the old cliche about it taking a village is really true. The mother-daughter relationship is key because that sets the stage for our early perceptions of beauty and self-perception. But we all need to collectively mother one another by modeling self-love and providing positive feedback and encouragement.”

What is your ‘hairitage’? Did your mother play a central role in how you feel about your hair? We’d love to hear from you!

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2 thoughts on “Dreams of our Mothers”

Kahlilia

I loved reading this and seeing these amazing pictures! I stopped relaxing my hair just a few years ago though it already seems like so much longer. However, I did it following in the footsteps of my Mom who embraced her natural curls &coils just a couple years before me. I watched her journey and decided this was for me as well. I was beyond tired of relaxing my thick hair so often.
Now that I have an almost 1 year old I look at her and think of how different her hair journey will be from mine. I don’t have memories of disliking my hair but I also don’t have memories of my loving natural hair the way it was. My mothers hair was relaxed then so mine was as well. Not at a crazy early age like I have seen some children’s hair but it was still pretty young. But my daughter has already taken an interest in my hair and I plan to let her know just how beautiful I know my hair is in order to help instill that pride into her as she grows.

Thank you for sharing that story, Kahlilia! It’s so true that many mothers become the natural hair pioneers within their extended family. We’re always even more impressed when women choose to embrace their texture later in life. That takes so much courage and confidence. What an inspiring role model for you!